Altium updates Altium Designer software

Altium Designer's design translation wizard already supports legacy design files from Allegro, OrCAD, DX Designer and Pads, as well as Altium's earlier P-CAD and Protel design tools.

The addition of the CADstar file importer makes it easier for designers to move from older-style legacy point tools to Altium's next generation solution.

Altium Designer lets CADstar users unlock the potential of large-scale programmable devices and create custom-designed PCBs using Altium's advanced board design features.

These include 3D board design and clearance checking and dynamic, real-time links to MCAD designs.

Altium Designer lets electronics designers assess the balance between the need to invest in next generation designs and protect the intellectual property of their legacy designs.

CADstar users can now assess this balance for themselves.

They can assess how they can extend their PCB design skills into areas including creating designs in the soft domain.

They can also progress from schematic capture, through FPGA programming, real-time device testing, on-the-fly design iterations and final PCB design and design release, to manufacture, in a single design environment.